Rim Butte Trail system for Class II is located south of Bend and East of La Pine Oregon. It primarily lies southeast of Newberry Crater and it is located in lands ripe for forest harvest. It has some awesome scenic views. It will be approximately 30 miles of trail routed through the forest. Some of this trail will be on existing roads but some of it will be cut through the forest. If the trail is placed right it would and could become an extremely awesome 4x4 trail. The problem is we have not been able to walk the trail due to snow with the Forest Service. Because of this we are not sure how much of the trail we will be allowed to move left and right to take advantage of what will impede our forward travel. The trail without their actual plan on the ground could be just the opposite and any and all things that would impede one’s travel would become the trail.
It is our belief that others are involved (road wheelers) with this from outside of our area and without actual on the ground input form the Forest Service it is up in the air. Therefore it has to be taken for granted that if we do not write a little more into the scope for technical difficult trails then most likely it will get toned down by the Forest Service and they will not allow us to build but a dusty trail through the woods. Actual I have much better things to do than build a dusty, easy trail through the forest and would do little to support such activities.

Below are some items that should be included in your response to the scoping letter. Be careful in your words. We the Class II community has open to them thousands of miles of easy roads called trails. We need true Class II trail and we have an opportunity to build such a system that will marvel the world:

1. That Deschutes County 4-Wheelers and members of the PNW be allowed to make all final decisions on the routing of the trail.
2. It is our belief that the present trail on the map is but a starting point and can be move as we suggest creating a true Class II trail.
3. Allow members of the PNW to work hand in hand with the actual Forest Service crews and place the final trail on the ground according to our reached agreed path.
4. We want no machinery used to make the path except the winding of the trail (brush removal, logging of trees etc…) such as a wheeled or tracked tractor with a blade on it. The natural floor of the forest is what we want the trail to be without any further improvement unless members of the PNW total agree.
5. Off camber trail are part of the trail
6. Hill climbs, dips in the trail will become part of the trail and the trail will not be move around these natural features but included as the trail.
7. Trees of a set diameter will not be removed from the trail but will become part of the trail. The trail will weave through the trees to remove as many straight lines as possible.
8. The trail will incorporate as many left and right turns as possible so as not to build more than feet of straight trail. There may be reason to build straight up a hill for a scenic or such but that still needs to be discussed per the PNW members on the ground and not just done.
9. On the very southeast end of the proposed trail there are lots of rock outcroppings and the trail should be made including as many of these natural features as possible instead of running the trail around them as the trails appears to be doing.
10. There is need of more play areas for Class II and there are buttes along the side of the proposed trail and loops should be created or an route over and back to be part of the trail system.
11. We ask the Forest Service to allow us up to a thousand feet of leeway to place the trail left or right to utilize as many natural features as possible. Once we all agree that is the trail then this will only become feet needed to preserve the trail and trail sustainability.
12. There are areas along this proposed trail system that could become excellent; very difficult routes looping into the main trail we ask the forest service to incorporate as many of these as possible creating a meaningful Class II trail for our use.
13. We ask the Forest Service not to make us any easy route but a difficult route that will require the engagement of 4-wheel drive for nine-tenths of the route. There are thousands of miles of easy to moderate roads already open in this forest for wheelers to enjoy. We need a difficult trail to very-difficult trail for 4-wheelers to enjoy.
14. If this trail system is built using our standard; we will freely donate time and monies for its development. This needs to be written in your boldest print. If it is built to the PNW members standards we will provide monies and on the ground working time.
15. We understand we are not building a buggy trail but a difficult trail for us to use the year around. We can see the snowmobilers use some of the proposed area but there is enough of this trail that is being built outside of snowmobile area that at least most of the Class II trail could be left open year around. Please make this Class II trail open for year around enjoyment.
16. This area will become dusty in the summer and we propose the trail be built so tight that the speed limit would be less than 15 miles per hour. We endorse this low of a speed particularly if no snow is on the entire surface of the trail. Once the entire route is cover in snow that it would become an over the snow route for class II to use throughout the winter.
17. The trail should be built to the width that is in the CFR. It is our knowledge that the bump-out assist with groups going different directions and suffice for a passing area or an occasional area to pull off to let a smaller group to pass (the lager the group the slower it goes).
18. Spots for lunch will also be allowed and could be used for passing zone. These areas may or may not be a play area. Scenic areas need to be large enough to accommodate 15 or so rigs where feasible. This is a very scenic area and we would like to be able to top some of these buttes to enjoy these vistas. It is understood some of these will only have a trail up and back to the main trail. (Cider Cone Butte is an example of an outstanding vista)
19. We do not mind logging activities as long as the trails are temporally built around the longing to complete our trail. We will demand that the trail to be built back to the prior standard or exceeding the previous trail. We ask the forest service to allow us a review of the skid and logger roads to see perhaps the routes would improve the trail system. Our main concern is the trail is not closed down for logging activities or repaired back to the trail condition prior to logging. We do not wish to stop any logging activities.
20. We would consider a walking trail to the top of some of these buttes if no other access to their tops could be obtained for Class II vehicle. (Kweb Butte would be an example for a walking trail for a vista)
Comments submitted electronically: comments-pacificnorthwest-deschutes-...rock@fs.fed.us
Subject line must say: “Rim Butte OHV Scoping”
Comments may be part of the actual e-mail message or as an attachment in Microsoft Word, rich text format (ftf) portable document format (pdf) only.
Written comments to:
Brant Peterson Deputy District Ranger
Bend/Fort Rock Ranger District
63095 Deschutes Market Road
Bend OR 97701
Oral comments may also be provided via telephone (541) 383-4000
May 31st 2012 is the deadline for comment and post marked on envelopes

This came out on the 5th, so thought I'd put it up for those interested.

Final EA and draft decision is out. (new decision/appeal system they just put in place). Alternative 3, includes a 17 mile loop system, but have not looked at it to see just what/where. 45 day appeal period.

This came out on the 5th, so thought I'd put it up for those interested.

Final EA and draft decision is out. (new decision/appeal system they just put in place). Alternative 3, includes a 17 mile loop system, but have not looked at it to see just what/where. 45 day appeal period.